


Destinations

by Dopredo



Series: Smoke and Mirrors [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cute, F/F, Fluff, Gay Panic, Granny's Diner (Once Upon a Time), Kid Henry Mills (Once Upon a Time), Light Angst, Magic Mirrors, Occasional Explicit Language (I highlight which chapter this is in), Post-Season/Series 02 AU, Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold Being an Asshole, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, updates every Monday
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-22
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:28:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28249908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dopredo/pseuds/Dopredo
Summary: “Regina’s mind flickered with the memory of how Emma’s body had felt under her own. How, when she had opened her eyes, Emma’s face had been so close. All she would’ve needed to do was lean in….”What if Emma and Snow had never fallen through that first portal? What if Regina had saved them? They do say magic is just a kind of chemistry we don’t understand yet… and the chemistry between Regina and Emma is magic just waiting to happen.
Relationships: Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Emma Swan
Series: Smoke and Mirrors [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2136378
Comments: 8
Kudos: 128
Collections: Swan Queen OTP





	1. Destinations

**Author's Note:**

> Updating every week! :)

_People can arrive at their destinations in many ways, as can love. This was merely one way the story could have played out..._

* * *

The hat lit up in Regina’s hands, spinning wildly, whilst purple light spiralled downwards like water in a drain. From somewhere across the room David Nolan’s ridiculously irritating voice boomed with something urgent, but amongst all the madness his words were lost. Before she knew it, the wraith was upon them, and Regina could already feel the harrowing pull of her soul leaving her body... But then, quite suddenly, the sensation stopped. Someone had jumped on her, blocking her from the wraith’s pull. Emma.

Toppling into the portal, the wraith extended a terrifying arm, and coiled it around Emma’s leg. 

“Emma!” Regina screamed, flinging herself in the direction of the blonde. Suddenly everything seemed to move in slow motion. Emma’s legs extended beneath her as she was dragged towards the portal, kicking and screaming fiercely. Just as Regina thought that she wouldn’t make it in time, she managed to throw herself on top of Emma with so much force that they both skidded away from the portal. Breathing heavily, Regina squeezed her eyelids together, still pinning Emma to the ground. What seemed like forever passed before the portal sealed up, (leaving behind a, quite gruesome, disattached wraith arm). 

The room breathed a sigh of relief. Well, everyone apart from Regina, who was still pinning Emma down protectively. Emma coughed awkwardly, and Regina opened her eyes quickly, realising her face was mere inches away. 

“You can get off me now, Your Majesty…” Emma frowned.

Regina jumped away from her as though she was on fire, patting down her clothes in an attempt to regain her dignity. 

“What? No _thank you_?” Regina growled. “Next time I won’t even bother saving your life.”

“ _Thank you_ ,” Emma groaned sarcastically, pushing herself from the floor much less gracefully. “Honestly, why _did_ you bother?” She glanced at the wraith arm, pulled a face and then looked back at Regina. “Since you hate me so much.”

“You’re right, I do,” Regina lied. “Considering you’ve stolen my son, broken my curse and pretty much _ruined_ every aspect of my life.” Regina stuck her nose in the air and Emma sighed grouchily. 

Snow glanced at Charming and they shared a look that only the two of them would ever understand. 

“You know what – great. To me those all sound like achievements.” Emma turned away and began to strut out of the room, stopping only to call over her shoulder, “You’re welcome, by the way. Next time a wraith tries to suck out your soul, you’re on your own.” She was gone before Regina could respond.

The truth was, Regina didn’t hate Emma. She just hated what she represented. I mean, how was it fair that just one woman could strut into her life and so quickly disassemble absolutely everything? Quite honestly, she _wanted_ to hate Emma, but she just couldn’t… there was something about her. 

Regina’s mind flickered with the memory of how Emma’s body had felt under her own. How, when she had opened her eyes, Emma’s face had been _so close_. All she would’ve needed to do was lean in….

No. Stop. Why was she even going there? This was _Emma_. She refused to allow herself to think about this.

* * *

Regina couldn’t stop thinking about it. In fact, it had been a week since the portal incident, and Regina had been avoiding Emma ever since. God, it was bad enough without seeing that damned woman – she couldn’t imagine the embarrassment of running into her… especially when she knew that Emma hated her guts. 

There was a rap at the door (well, mirror) and Regina’s eyes flew towards it faster than a troll snatching for his gold. Quite truthfully, locked away in her vault, Regina had been hiding from everyone, not just Emma. The whole town was out-for-blood, so avoiding the red-leather blonde was just a bonus. 

“Hey _, Queenie_!” a voice shouted, followed by another rap on the mirror. Regina cursed, glancing cautiously through the one-way window at Emma Swan. Her stomach lurched, and she wasn’t sure if it was out of fear for her life, or something else… “Regina, I know you’re in there. I just want to talk.” After a moment’s pause, Emma sighed and shook her head. “Be grateful it’s not Grumpy… he looked pretty threatening with that pickaxe of his,” Emma grimaced. 

Regina winced, the image of her fate in Grumpy’s hands just a tad too much for her. 

There was another moment of silence, and then Emma sighed again, and turned to walk away. Regina closed her eyes gently, gritting her teeth, and then pushed the door open languidly. She painted her face with a vacant expression, but inside her stomach was churning; with no magic and no allies she felt incredibly vulnerable. 

Emma raised her eyebrows in surprise and Regina even thought she saw a flicker of excitement cross her face – but if it was there at all it didn’t linger. 

“You actually let me in,” she said, dazed. 

“Well, your description of Pickaxe The Gnome was uncharacteristically imaginative and... thoroughly disturbing.”

“I think he’s a… dwarf?” Emma shook her head, wondering why she was defending something she still didn’t quite believe herself. A week ago she had discovered that her parents were Snow White and Prince Charming, and Regina could only imagine what a rollercoaster of emotions it had been since then. 

“I’m surprised you’re still here, Miss Swan,” Regina said icily. “Usually your response to this kind of thing is to… well, run.”

Emma smiled cooly. 

“Don’t act like you know me. I’m not some fairytale character that you can prod and poke and manipulate. I’m a _real_ person. With real problems, like my son.” 

“He is _not_ your son.” 

“I think _Henry_ would beg to differ.”

Regina looked at the ground, her heart sinking. It was true, she knew. Henry wanted Emma to be his mother, which meant she had failed him. 

“You’re right,” Regina gulped, and Emma’s face muddled into a confusing expression that Regina didn’t have the will or energy to try and understand. 

“Wait, you’re not going to disagree with me. I thought you did that about everything… even just for the sake of it.”

“Henry adores you… _Me_ on the other hand _…_ Well, maybe he hasn’t loved me for a long time.” Regina made a special effort to avoid Emma’s gaze, adding sardonically, “I’m not exactly the most lovable person in the world.”

“Wait - _hang_ _on_. I never said that Henry doesn’t _love_ you. He just…”

“I never asked for your opinion Miss Swan, nor do I care for it.” Regina glowered, accidentally catching Emma’s eyes. In the second-too-long eyelock, Regina noticed a hazel fleck in her irises, that burnt gold when it caught the light. Regina swore it hadn’t been there before Gold had brought magic to Storybrooke… Blinking, Regina tried desperately to ignore the little voice inside her head insisting that there was a reason she noticed these things about Emma. 

“Fine,” Emma huffed, throwing her hands up in mock surrender. “This was a mistake.”

“ _Wait_.” Regina groaned. “I’m sorry, I’m just, I… How is he?”

“Henry? He’s OK… Although he’s getting nightmares that are apparently actually _real…_? Gold says they’re because of the curse that you put him under. So I thought…”

“Wait what? _No_ … Don’t trust anything Gold says.”

“Yeah, I figured that out the hard way. Don’t forget, I fought–”

“–Fought a dragon, yes, I remember.” Regina released a frustrated growl and then her face went solemn. “I wish I could help… but that sleeping curse wasn’t even mine.”

“But surely you know what this is… like, didn’t you do a bit of research before or something?”

“This isn’t _Masterchef_ ! I usually don’t care too much about what happens to my victims _after_ I put them under a curse.”

“But this isn’t just some victim.”

“ _Yes_ , I realise that Miss Swan." Her face softened. "Oh, Henry.” Regina's eyes watered slightly, and she turned away from Emma, embarrassed. 

“You really love him, don’t you.” It wasn’t a question. Emma let out a melancholic sigh. 

“Of course I love him,” Regina said, not unkindly. “He’s my…” She sighed frustratedly. “I raised him.”

Emma looked up at her, wearing a bewildered frown. Perhaps that was just her general expression, being as she was having a conversation with the Evil Queen… But Regina felt like there was something else there – understanding. 

Emma shook her head and then looked up at Regina with a confusing smile. Why did she find everything about Emma confusing?

“He’s been talking about you a lot. He misses you.”

“He does?” Regina's face lit up with a wide, infectious smile. “Can I…? Can I see him?” 

Emma frowned and Regina was sure she was about to hear bad news. But then something in Emma’s eyes shifted – those golden flecks danced in the dim amber light and twinkled. Emma nodded wordlessly.

Suddenly, Regina had the overwhelming and unanticipated inclination to bear-hug Emma Swan, but she maintained her posture without so much as a flinch.

“We’re going for dinner at Granny’s now… if you come I’ll make sure you don’t get pickaxed?”


	2. Doom-And-Gloom

Emma led the way out of the vault, through the dingy cemetery and towards Main Street. Regina’s heels clomped heavily on the damp pavement, echoing intrusively from every darkened shop window and back alley. 

“They don’t seem very practical,” Emma sniffed at Regina’s shoes, pointing out the elephant in the room as always. 

“And that’s why you have no style.” Regina smiled, despite herself, and Emma couldn’t help but join in. It was a petty criticism, even for Regina. 

“I’ve found boots are a lot more trendy when you’re running for your life from dementors… Although, that’s not a problem I ever thought I would have.”

Regina chuckled. 

“You know, Henry made me watch that movie and I swear I was more scared than he was…”

“Well, you knew how accurate it was,” Emma glanced at her, eyes wide. “ _ Hold up _ . Is Harry Potter real too?” Regina snorted and Emma grinned. “ _ What _ ? I don’t know what to believe any more! I’m literally talking to the  _ Evil  _ Queen right now.” Regina’s face fell almost immediately and Emma didn’t need to ask to know why. “Oh, sorry.”

“No… It’s fine. I’m probably deserving of that name.” She scraped a browned leaf from the bottom of her shoe and held it in her hand, turning it over. Then she ripped it in half violently. “I’ve done some  _ terrible  _ things.”

“I believe you,” Emma shrugged casually. “But I also think that name is ridiculous. No one is completely  _ evil _ .”

“I think this town would disagree. I mean, I’m literally the reason you were sent away in that wardrobe. You have as much – if not more – reason to hate me than everyone else.”

Halting in the middle of the road, Emma turned to face Regina, head cocked slightly to the side. Regina took a stubborn intake of breath, glared for a second at Granny’s (which was now in clear view ahead of them), before finally looking back at Emma. Despite everything, Emma’s face looked kind, and Regina noticed she had automatically moved a few centimeters closer than was entirely comfortable. 

“I wouldn’t have invited you if I hated you,” Emma said simply. Regina was expecting more, but Emma merely inhaled slowly and grimaced in the direction of Granny’s. “This is gonna be one awkward family dinner.”

That was when, for no exact reason, Regina realised that she was technically Emma's step-grandmother. She gulped, feeling a bit sick to her stomach.  _ But why?  _ That little voice in her head teased.  _ It’s not like there’s anything between you guys… _ Regina consoled herself by remembering that the connection was only by means of a loveless marriage, and that much worse had happened on  _ Game of Thrones _ , and then pushed the thought to the back of her mind. 

“You OK?” Emma asked, and Regina realised she’d been staring at Granny’s for just a moment too long.

“Yes. Just… preparing for my inevitable fate.”

This time it was Emma’s turn to snort. 

“Come on Doom-And-Gloom. Let’s get a hamburger.” And with that she strode off towards the blaring neon  _ Open _ sign that disorientated everyone’s vision whenever they went near it (and was, in Regina’s opinion, a crime against anything ever relating to style). Shaking her head, Regina skulked after her. 

Unsurprisingly, Granny’s Diner went silent when Regina walked in. There was a time when Regina would have revelled in that… but not when she could see Henry sitting in the corner, blushing slightly as people turned their heads.  _ Was he really that ashamed to be her son? Had it been the other way around, would she have felt the same?  _ She smiled at him melancholically, and shifted uncomfortably in his direction, dodging a few wary customers as she did so. When she reached the table, she stood like a criminal on a podium, facing the Judge; in this case, the Judge was Mr and Mrs Charming. But before Regina could open her mouth to speak, Emma placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled broadly at her parents. 

“I hope you don’t mind, I invited Regina. She did, after all, save my life.”

Snow gave Emma (what was meant to be) a subtle warning look of ‘No! Please, God no!”, but unfortunately for Regina, it wasn’t all that subtle. 

“ _ Oh _ ,” David coughed awkwardly. “Yeah, no, that’s… that’s…”

Regina pulled a grimace and shook her head, turning to leave quicker than Dopey in a strip club. 

“I can’t do this.”

“Wait!” Emma grabbed her arm, a look of pleading in her eyes. For some reason it looked as though she (although she was the only one) really wanted her to stay. 

“None of them want me here,” she hissed. “They see me as  _ evil _ .”

“Then prove them wrong!” Emma exclaimed in a raised whisper. Regina closed her eyes for a second and Emma gestured to Henry with her head. “Just stay for one meal. For Henry.” 

Sighing, Regina agreed, placing herself down in the booth next to Henry, and across from Emma. She couldn’t have felt more awkward, but for some reason – be it Henry or Emma, or both – she felt inclined to stay. 

As the evening was nearing its end, something very strange indeed took place – although, it was perhaps the most ordinary thing that had happened in Storybrooke for a long time. Regina was getting up to grab another drink when her fork flicked onto the ground. Immediately both Regina and Emma reached for it, meeting on the ground in the middle. As their fingers touched, Regina felt sparks. They jolted up her arm and twinkled all around her body, finally resting in her heart. The two women locked eyes for just a second, but to Regina it felt like millenia. The gold in Emma’s eyes sparkled like Christmas lights. Awkwardly, Regina did the only that came naturally, and giggled ever-so-slightly, looking away from Emma quickly (but not so quickly that she didn’t notice Emma’s fast, but prominent, blush). 

A second later the moment had passed, and the two women both made a special effort not to catch each other’s eyes for the rest of the night. When the time finally came for Regina to leave, she stood up from the booth and nodded politely at the Charmings, catching their eyes in turn. 

“Thank you. This was… nice,” she said stiffly, flattening her skirt. Snow and David smiled with their ordinary dose of warmth, and Emma glowed, standing up when Regina did. She followed Regina to the door.

“Maybe… again? Some. Time?” Emma frowned, her words stagnated as though they were being interrupted by a million thoughts. 

“You alright?” Regina cast her a wicked smile. “If I didn’t know any better I’d say I was making you nervous… Are those fairytales finally getting to you Miss Swan?” she said darkly. It was never intended as flirting, but thinking the sentence over, Regina realised Emma could take it one of two ways. 

“Nope.” Emma blinked away the cobwebs immediately. “All that’s getting to me is a little too much whiskey.”


	3. If You Can’t Beat ‘em…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a really short chapter (sorry!) but I make up for it with the next one!

The weekly dinners quickly became less awkward, and after a few weeks Regina was even beginning to feel as though she _fit in_. Perhaps she felt more confident now that her magic had returned, or maybe it was merely that fact that they had continued to invite her, which gave her hope. Although Regina hadn’t forgotten about her moment with Emma on that first night, it had occurred to her that perhaps it had just been a one-off mishap – admittedly there had always been a certain amount of chemistry between the two, but perhaps Regina had misread it and their relationship was purely plutonic. 

But it’s funny how things can spring up on you. 

It was an ominously overcast day, the thick grey clouds hanging intrusively low, smothering the world with a gloomy light. Regina stepped out onto the street, the wind blowing her hair around her like the billowing sails on a pirate ship. Tonight would mark the occasion of the fourth weekly dinner with The Charmings, and she was determined to be on time. Of late, Regina had found herself quite enjoying these dinners, as they were not only a chance to see Henry, but also to see Emma too... 

By the time she reached Granny’s, Regina could tell something was up. The usually deserted evening streets were bustling with people, and Regina could hear Grumpy’s voice bellowing above the madness that ‘The house is empty! They’re gone!”. Pushing aside the six other dwarfs with a flick of her wrist, Regina parted her way through the crowd and strutted towards the one who was yelling.

“What’s going on?” she demanded of the rowdy dwarf. 

“It’s The Charmings… they’re gone!” Grumpy growled. Regina’s heart sank like a stone in a water barrel. “And I’m betting _you’re_ the one behind it!” He pointed a hairy finger in her direction and it wasn’t long before the entire crowd was looking at her and discussing in whispered voices. 

“Why would I do this?” she snapped coolly. “Henry is my son.” She thought for a moment and then her eyes widened. “ _Gold_ ,” she hissed. “Of course he’s behind this. He’s had a master plan for this Curse since it was forged... and I’m betting this is it.”

Regina appeared inside Gold’s shop with a puff of purple smoke and was surprised to find it occupied. Rumplestilskin glared up at her dangerously and Regina returned the favour. 

“What did you do with my son and Emma?” she said icily. Rumplestilskin’s lip twitched slightly in the corner and his eyes smiled brazenly.

“I’m surprised you included Miss Swan in your list,” he said slowly, his eyes twinkling unkindly. Languidly, and using his cane unnecessarily, Rumple moved towards a nearby shelf and adjusted the position of a dusting teapot. Waving his hand, the dust disappeared and the teapot was like new. “The last time we talked properly, you wanted to be rid of Emma Swan. I assure you, I’ve done you a favour.”

“You don’t deal in favours. What’s Emma to you? And where is my son?”

“What she is is _my_ business. And I assure you, Henry is just fine. Good day to you, Madam Mayor.”

An angry growl vibrated in Regina’s throat as she slammed her hands down on the countertop, misplacing a few loose sheets and a lot more dust.

“Damn it Rumple – _where are they_?”

Rumple sighed and waved a wrist, paralysing Regina from the head down. 

“I did warn you, Your Majesty…” he growled dangerously, spraying her slightly with saliva. “And seeing as you are now going out of your way to disrupt my plans, I suppose I’ll just have to keep you quiet.” He waved his wrist again and Regina disappeared. Sighing, Rumple returned to his teapot and smiled a cold smile. “If you can’t beat ‘em… well, lose.”


	4. Forever The Thrill-Seeker

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains explicit language.

" _Gold_ ,'' Regina growled at nothing in particular. Turning her head, it didn't take long to figure out where he had sent her. And the irony made her groan. “Ohh, I _hate_ this place,” she complained. 

Suddenly there was a rush of footsteps behind Regina, and she spun on the spot, thrusting her hands out aggressively (when you’re the Queen, being prepared for an attack is just a rite of passage). 

"Regina! Don't shoot!" Emma grimaced, turning her head away defensively. Regina dropped her hands with an eye roll. 

" _Miss Swan_. So this is why you weren't at dinner."

Emma couldn't help but smirk. 

"Guilty?” She caught her breath and then flicked a curl of blonde hair behind her shoulder. Regina couldn’t help but notice the way a few stubborn stray waves kept falling in front of her face, despite Emma’s best efforts to keep them out of the way. “What took you so long?” She looked around, as though expecting someone else to appear behind her. “And… did the others not want to come along?” At that Regina had to mask a smile. Considering everything that had happened, it was laughable that Emma thought there was even a chance her family wouldn’t bother to make the trip to save her life.

Regina traced her forefinger along the rim of one of the mirrors and frowned.

“Wait, so Henry _isn’t_ here?”

The panic was evident on Emma’s face. "They've taken him too?"

“And then rest of the Charming clan.” Regina gritted her teeth bitterly. "It was _Gold_.”

  
  


“Wait – again? What is that guy’s deal?!” 

“Oh, trust me, when I figure it out I am going to magic-blast that man so hard that he goes right back to being a coward,” Regina hissed. Pulling a mock face of fear, Emma didn’t seem all too impressed. “God knows what he wants,” she continued. “My bet is Henry isn’t even involved in this… I probably just missed him this morning when I was looking for you all." After a pause she pulled a face that couldn't be replicated and flapped her arms around wildly. "I _hate_ the mirror world."

Emma hummed thoughtfully. "So that's what this place is… I don't suppose you know a way out?"

“Don’t you think I would have left by now if that were the case, Miss Swan?”

“Okay… No need to get all passive aggressive on me.”

“Oh, trust me – _nothing_ about this is passive…” Suddenly Regina smiled widely. “ _But_ – now I think about it, there _are_ up-sides to this place.” With a concentrated frown, Regina focused her attention on one of the mirrors, and then touched it delicately with her foreforginger. “Show me Henry,” she whispered. 

“No way, you’re _kidding me_ ,” Emma gawped. “You just went full ‘mirror, mirror’ on me…” Suddenly the mirror lit up and Henry’s face appeared. Emma and Regina got as close to the screen as they possibly could, each calling out as hysterically as the other. It was clear from the red rims around his eyes that Henry had been having a rough day (after all, his entire family had disappeared), but it was even more difficult for Emma and Regina to call out to him, only to know that he would never hear them. 

When the picture finally faded away, the two women looked at each other – their facial expressions mirrored. No words were needed for them to understand that they were both feeling the same thing. 

Sighing, Emma dropped to the floor and quickly made herself comfortable, patting the earth next to her in invitation. Regina looked at her as though she had just eaten a mouldy tuna fish sandwich, but after a short consideration flopped down next to her regardless. 

Emma glanced at her without turning her head. “At least we know Henry’s safe.” 

“At least there’s that,” Regina agreed. “At least there’s that.”

* * *

**_4 hours later..._ **

“Do you think we need to eat… I mean, it’s not really a prison if we die of starvation.”

Regina rolled her eyes. She knew Emma was new to all this, but it didn’t make her floundering any less irritating. “Are _you_ feeling hungry, Miss Swan?”

Emma hummed. “No. But I did have a big breakfast.”

“Well isn’t this conversation _riveting_.” 

“I’m glad I entertain you,” Emma said dryly. “After all, we might be here a while.”

There was a moment’s pause and then Regina pulled a face, wondering if she was about to regret her next words.

“Should we play a game?” There was no sarcasm in her voice and yet, knowing Regina, Emma couldn’t take her seriously. When Regina didn’t say anything else, Emma shrugged awkwardly. 

“Wait, were you being serious?” Emma frowned.

“Well, unless you can think of something else to do?”

There was another pause and then Emma shrugged.

“Ok, fine. Fuck, Marry, Kill. … Dr Hopper, umm… David,”

“Oh my God, _Emma_ . Maybe you _do_ have a dark side.”

“What?” she retaliated defensively. “There aren’t many men in this town! I was stuck!”

“So you chose your _Dad_? Fine… Let me go first.” 

“Okay…” Emma frowned nervously, not quite knowing what to expect. Regina thought for a second and then a wicked grin came to her face. 

“Fuck, Marry, Kill… Dr Hopper, Ruby…” she paused for dramatic effect, “and me.” 

Almost immediately Regina regretted her decision to include herself in the line-up… but there was no going back now. Emma looked like a cat in headlights, but also couldn’t refuse to answer without sounding like a coward.

“I… guess I’d have to fuck Ruby. But who doesn’t want to have sex with Ruby?”

A bead of sweat trickled down Regina’s back, but she maintained her nonchalant exterior brilliantly. “So that leaves you and Hopper,” Emma sighed. Pulling a face, she scratched her eyelid thoughtfully. “I guess I’d have to kill… Hopper. I have nothing against the guy – but imagine being married to someone who would constantly psycho-analyse you–”

“–Wait _what_ ?” Regina gasped in amazement. “You’re killing _Hopper_?” Her eyes widened and she flushed deeply; for the first time around Emma she had broken her front and she was utterly mortified. 

“Yeah, so I guess we’re married now,” Emma grinned. Seeing that Regina was speechless, Emma shrugged. “I don’t know why you’re so surprised,” she laughed. “You know you’re just about the only person I like in this town who’s alive and who I’m not related to…”

“Technically I’m your step-grandma… But,” Regina shook her head in disbelief, “why do you _like_ me? I mean, I _suck_.”

“Wow, if I hadn’t killed Dr. Hopper, I would suggest you booked a session.”

Regina looked at her grouchily and so Emma took a more gentle approach. “Regina you don’t _suck_ . You can literally shoot fireballs from your hands and, although maybe Henry doesn’t see it right now, you’re a really good mother for raising him the way you did… I mean, obviously, cursing an entire kingdom is… _questionable_. But you were hurting. And we all do stupid things when we’re hurting.”

Gobsmacked, Regina blinked a few times to stop herself from crying. Although she didn’t realise it, Emma was the first person to ever really forgive Regina. After all, she had ruined Emma’s life, too. But Emma had never once punished Regina for that – even though she had every right to. Emma had only ever retaliated when threatened. 

“Thank you,” Regina said simply, lost for any other words. Emma looked at her curiously and then shrugged again.

“Let’s play something else – I’m getting PTSD. The last time I played this game I ended up piercing my own ears to prove a point to a low-grade drug lord… I won the bet, but my ears were infected for _weeks_.”

“That does sound like you.”

“Yup. Forever the thrill-seeker…”


	5. The Tendril

**_6 Hours Later..._ **

Emma watched as Regina leant up against a mirror and yawned. It was hard not to watch Regina, because there was something so classy and elegant about her. She moved with such modest confidence, as though nothing could faze her; that was why Emma took such guilty pleasure in the moments where she managed to wipe away the façade. A tingle ran up her spine as she recalled the way Regina had blushed at Emma’s choices during _Fuck, Marry, Kill_. 

“You can sleep if you want,” Emma smiled. “I’ll stay up in case… Well, I don’t really know, but this place is creepy and I feel like one of us should stay awake.”

“Ok, thank you.” Regina yawned again and wiped her eyes. She scuffled around on the dry, cracked earth until she seemed vaguely comfortable, and then tucked her head away from the ever-blaring setting sun. Emma glanced at her a few times, before pulling off her red leather jacket in a single, practiced movement. It felt strange to remove her armour. She clenched her teeth together and then placed a hand on Regina’s shoulder. 

“Here,” she said, expecting retaliation. “You can use this as a blanket until it’s my turn.”

Regina looked at it strangely, as though she was being handed a grenade or something similar, and then wrapped herself up in it quickly. “So you even sleep in leathers,” she huffed as she closed her eyes, although something in her voice snagged with a teasing tone, rather than a nasty one. 

“Get used to it Queenie,” Emma scoffed dryly. “It’s the best you got.”

Emma was surprised by how quickly Regina fell asleep, and it was nice to be able to look at her without the threat of staring for too long. She knew that Regina always feared the worst when she was looking at her, but since arriving in Storybrooke, it hadn’t taken Emma long to figure out that she felt _a lot_ of feelings towards Regina – not all of them positive, but they were all so strong that sometimes Emma found it quite overwhelming. 

A strand of dark hair flopped in front of Regina’s eyes and she turned over in sleepy retaliation. Suddenly Emma found herself staring at Regina’s back – the way it curved so delicately while she was unconscious, but moved with the elegant power of a dancer when Regina was in control. Emma imagined herself tracing her fingers along Regina’s spine and brushing her hair away gently. Mentally, she planted a soft kiss in the curve where Regina’s neck met the head, breathing in the sharp-sweet taste of her perfume. Although it was all in her head, Emma drew away with affection still dancing in her eyes. 

A shudder went through Regina’s body, as though she was reacting to Emma’s thoughts. Despite the fact that no one was watching, Emma couldn’t help but blush and look away. Just as she did so, Regina started to snore and… it was just like any other snore! There wasn’t any elegance there at all; in fact, it sounded more like a wild boar than a woman. 

Biting her knuckle to make sure the sound was practically inaudible, Emma snickered. Another rumble erupted from Regina’s throat, and this time Emma couldn’t help but dissolve into a cacophony of giggles. 

Only when Regina started to wake up was Emma forced to quieten down, and had to bite down on her whole fist until it hurt in order to do so. 

As she lay peacefully, she couldn’t help but dream of a time when Regina would look at her and feel the same heart-ache that Emma felt every day… 

* * *

“What do you _mean_ we can’t cross the town line?” Rumple growled dangerously, twisting the cane in his hands as though he was wringing out a towel. 

“I-I-I’m not sure,” poor Dr Hopper quivered. “All they told me was that we lose our memories if we cross the town line!”

“ _What_ ? “ Rumple dropped his cane. “ _No_ , there must be some kind of mistake.” He grabbed Hopper’s neck using magic and lifted him into the air. Desperate for breath, the shrink flailed his arms and legs around wildly, suddenly looking an awful lot closer to the cricket he had been before the curse. 

Realising that, no matter how much he tortured Hopper, the answer wouldn’t change and therefore it really wasn’t worth his time, Rumple dropped the cricket on the ground like a sack of potatoes and poofed back to his shop. “ARGH!” he roared, smashing his cane into a bookshelf and sending about fifty books flying. He fell to his knees and gritted his teeth. “I _will_ find you, Bae. No matter what it takes…”

* * *

**_5 (More) Hours Later..._ **

Her blouse removed the patch of slobber before Emma could see it – or, at least, she assumed Emma hadn’t noticed the damage, as she hadn’t said anything. Glancing at it suspiciously, Emma wrapped the leather jacket around herself; back where it belonged. 

“How long did I sleep?” Regina asked. 

“About five hours.” The blonde released a deep yawn. “Pretty good for a mirror-world-thing place.” Her eyes were bloodshot, and it was clear that she was struggling to keep them open. A pang of guilt stabbed at Regina’s chest. 

“Do you need to…?”

Emma shook her head and rubbed her eyes. 

“Nope. I’m ok.” She yawned again. “I’m used to long stake-outs, Madame Mayor.”

Regina hummed. “Yes, well I guess you are used to roughing it a lot more than I am. After all, a queen has to maintain at least a small amount of her dignity.” 

“Yeah, you know…” Emma stretched her arms into the air and then shuddered, 

“you don’t have to keep mentioning that. I am _well_ aware you were– _are_... a queen– _The_ Queen, damnit.” She shook her head and mumbled to herself, “How the hell did I get myself into all this crazy?”

Regina rolled her eyes and was about to retaliate, but instead she just sighed. 

“All I was _saying_ is that… you might as well sleep. There isn’t much else to do.”

“Except figure out a way to escape so that we can save my parents. And, just escape because this place sucks.”

“Yes, apart from that,” Regina agreed. “On a side note, I’m not exactly the Mayor any more…”

Emma looked at her in confusion, clearly trying to figure out at which point in the conversation she had brought up Regina’s mayorship. Regina let out a frustrated tut. “You always call me _Madame Mayor_ ,” she prompted. “Like, _literally_ just a second ago.”

“Oh,” Emma wiped her eyes again; perhaps because she thought it would make her understand the seemingly purposeless conversation. “I just call you that because… well, I guess because it’s always what I’ve called you… And I knew it wound you up.” Suddenly the apple tree incident popped into her head and she couldn’t help but grin. Regina cast her a look that could kill.

“If you are thinking about my apple tree, Miss Swan, I want you to know – I’m still not over it.”

Emma bit back her grin and shrugged. 

“See. _There it is_. I never knew the Evil Queen, but you’ll always be Madame Mayor to me.” She said it matter-of-factly, staring directly at Regina’s scowl. “Now, get your royal butt off the ground and we can look for–”

A deep rumble erupted from the ground, cutting her off. The cracked earth beneath them cracked further still, and the ground began dropping away from them. Rubble was thrust into the air, turning the vivid orange skyline into a dusty, pixelated photocopy of itself. 

As Regina searched for Emma amongst all the chaos, a crusty tendril of earth wrapped itself around her waist, launching her about two metres into the sky. After a few moments, the dust cleared, and Regina could see that the tendril was dangling her roughly three metres away from a cliff. 

Emma stood, watching, a terrified expression plastered to her face.

“Regina,” she whispered, almost inaudibly. She glanced over the side of the newly-surfaced cliff and got slight whiplash as she realised that the drop was almost a mile long. “Regina!” she screamed, jumping forwards. She sprinted towards her and the tendril started to move forwards as well, now merely two metres away from the cliff edge. Emma stopped short, and the tendril stopped with her. She took a small step, and the tendril moved too. “What the–?”

“Finally figured it out, dearie?” a voice from behind her teased. Emma spun, pulling out the gun from her holster. “The closer you get to Regina, the closer she’ll get to the cliff! Now isn’t that a little bit of a brain-puzzler…?”

“Get back, you crazy asshole,” Emma spat. 

She clicked off the safety and pulled back the bolt, resting her hand on the trigger and breathing out slowly. 

Rumplestiltskin giggled. “Oh,” he laughed. “So, you _don’t_ want to rescue _Re-gi-na_?” 

The brunette clenched her teeth, staring, fixated, at the confrontation between two of her ex-rivals. 

Vision blurred from lack of sleep, Emma paused, questioning her aim. The space between her eyebrows creased as she attempted to re-focus, but that was just long enough for Rumple to raise his hand and flick the gun out of her fingers. It went toppling over the cliff, and (after approximately eighteen seconds) Emma heard the familiar ‘boom’ that signified her gun had discharged its contents. 

“It’s freaky that we could still hear that,” Regina muttered to herself, wondering whether they would hear her scream as she splattered at the bottom of the mile-long cliff. She subsequently decided it was best not to think about it. 

Emma suddenly looked quite vulnerable. She glanced over the cliff, at Regina, and then finally back at Rumple. “ _You_ made that tendril-thingy, didn’t you?”

“Slow as always, Miss Swan,” Regina muttered, rolling her eyes. 

Emma cast her a sideways glance.

“I’m just in the process of saving your life–”

“– _Attempted_ process.”

Emma growled. “Can you afford me a few more minutes without criticism?” 

Regina shrugged. “ _Thank you_ ,” she grumbled, turning back to Rumple. She looked at the little man in disgust. Regina never scared Emma, but _Gold_... Well, in their short time knowing each other, he had screwed her over too many times to count. “What do you even want from Regina?”

“Oh, I wan-ta-but-a nothing from _Regina_ …” he clasped his hands together dramatically. “It’s _you_ who’s going to help me. At least, if you ever want to see your pwetty little – _friend_ – again.”

The insinuation was clear. Emma wondered how obvious her affections for the melodramatic queen were to everyone else. Maybe Gold was just insightful? She hoped that was the case. Regina pulled a face, and Emma made sure that she was turned away, as she was flushing deeply.

“How the hell am _I_ supposed to help you?” she snarled. “I don’t have magic, or...” she cast a mournful look over the cliff, “my gun…”

Rumple gritted his teeth, and stepped so close to Emma that Regina knew she would be able to feel his breath on her face – Regina had been there before with that slimy little man. 

“I heard you were quite the expert at finding people, Miss Swan. This time, I want you to find my son.” He grabbed Emma’s hair and pushed her to the ground. 

Howling like a wolf for her young, Regina fought the tendril around her waist, but the more she struggled, the tighter the grip became. 

“I don’t understand – why can’t _you_ just search for him?” Emma hissed, hitting the floor with a painful bump. 

“ _Because_ . He doesn’t want to be found.” Rumple pointed at the mirror seethingly. “But that won’t work on you, Miss Swan – because he has no reason to suspect you. Now _. Look for him._ Unless you want the Evil Queen to take a little trip off the cliff…?” Rumple growled, gripping Emma’s hair even tighter. She clenched her teeth and grabbed hold of the mirror in front of her for support. Suddenly her reflection faded away, and a new image spun into the foreground. Rumple dropped Emma’s hair and stared out in disbelief. 

“Bae,” he whispered. 

Emma looked just as surprised. 

“No – that. That’s not your son. I’m sorry, I don’t even know why… I’ll try again–”

“No! That _is_ Bae. I can see it in his face… his eyes.”

“No – it _can’t_ be. I know that man; his name is Neal Cassidy. He–”

“His name is _Baelfire._ The mirror never lies – only people.”

Emma shook her head in disbelief, and removed her hand from the mirror as though it burned. “No! Bring him back! Bae!” Rumple called wildly, staring desperately into what was now just an ordinary mirror. When Rumple’s cries quietened, Emma finally had the courage to turn away from her reflection. Regina breathed deeply and looked at her nervously. 

“Emma?” Regina asked carefully. “How do you know Gold’s son?” Her heart beat wildly, somehow knowing the answer wouldn’t be one she would like. Emma turned to look at her, the distress evident on her face.

“Because… he’s Henry’s father.”


	6. Landings

Rumple waved his hand and the earth-tendril flung Regina to the ground. As she made contact, she began to roll with ever-increasing speed towards the cliff. 

“Regina!” Emma screamed, bolting towards her and scraping her knees along the ground. She grabbed for Regina’s hand, and clasped her own around it firmly in the first attempt. Thankfully, she was just in time, and the two women skidded to a halt just as Regina was about to topple off the cliff – they were mere inches away. 

Regina looked up at Emma and closed her eyes, breathing heavily. “Thank you,” she said. Turning to Rumple, her eyes fizzled dangerously. “You could have put me down more gently!” she yelled, baring her teeth slightly. Emma raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything. 

Suddenly, Regina realised that she was still clasping Emma’s hand and was shaking slightly. She’d had quite a run-in with death, but wasn’t wholly sure that it was the reason for her nervousness. Since Emma had arrived in town, Regina felt like she had been losing Henry to another parent… now she had to worry about competing with two! And yet, for some strange reason, Emma was the only person she wanted to confide in – the person she felt safe around. A thought occurred to Regina, and this time she couldn’t push it down: _Was she really worried about losing Henry? After all, she had_ raised _him… That had to stand for something._ Regina pushed down the thought, but no matter how hard she tried it kept popping back up, like an unplugged toaster: ... _Deep down, was Regina worried because she thought the arrival of Neal might mean she would lose Emma?_

Angry at herself, Regina dropped Emma’s hand from her own and shuffled away from the cliff edge, trying to avoid the quick flash of hurt on Emma’s face.

“Regina, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Neal. That first day we met, you asked and I avoided the question...” Emma gulped. Regina stopped but didn’t turn around. “I… It was a part of my life I didn’t _want_ to remember.” Emma shook her head, clearly struggling to find the words; but even Gold was interested now. “And I never thought I’d see him again, so I thought it didn’t matter.” 

Regina whirled, stony faced. 

“Didn’t _matter_?” she hissed. Emma winced. “You realise that if this man comes to Storybrooke, I lose Henry forever,” she lied. 

“That _man_ is my son,” Rumple growled. 

Emma gritted her teeth, ignoring Rumple totally. “Regina, I’m never going to let that happen. And Henry wouldn’t want that either.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re so sure,” Regina retorted sarcastically. Her face softened then and angry tears welled in the corners of her eyes. There was no way of avoiding it now. “But… it’s not just Henry. I’ve _finally_ started to build myself a life here. To get…” She snarled. “ _Forgiveness_.” Growling frustratedly, she wiped the tears away. “Do you really think if Sonny-Boy-Rumple struts back into everyone’s lives, the Charmings won’t jump at the chance to cut me out?” 

“Careful,” Rumple snarled. 

Emma’s face softened and she took a step towards Regina. “I know this isn’t about my parents,” Emma sighed. It occurred to Regina that perhaps she had underestimated Emma’s perceptiveness. “Regina, Neal was my first love. I...”

“What, Miss Swan? You’re going to tell me you’ve moved on? That you’d bring him here purely for Henry’s sake?”

“Yes! I _have_ moved on. It’s been twelve years!” she exploded. “ _I_ don’t want to bring him back here. God, I never even want to see him again!” Emma caught her breath and then went back to yelling. “I care about _other_ people now – like Henry, and my parents! I care about _you_!” Emma screamed. 

Regina’s heart was beating so fast she feared it might collapse in on itself from the strain. A blush crept up her neck. Emma looked at her wildly, wiped the tears from her eyes and then turned away, striding towards Rumple. 

She couldn’t read Emma’s expression from behind, but as she talked Regina could tell that Emma’s tone was low and dull. Heart fluttering, Regina ran Emma’s words over and over in her head until they felt alien: 

_I care about_ you _!_ _I care about_ you _!_ _I care about… you…_ Emma _cared_ about Regina… But what did that even _mean_?

When Emma walked back towards Regina, her face was solemn and pale. A flick of blonde hair fell into her eyes and she didn’t bother to move it. Across her left shoulder, Emma had flung her jacket, leaving the other bare and vulnerable. It was a strange look on her.

Regina realised that she must have fazed out of the entire conversation, because she had missed everything that had been said. Realising this, Emma gave her a sad smile and explained.

“He’s going to free us,” she said meekly. 

Regina looked doubtful. “Wait, really? And your parents?” she asked. Emma nodded slowly. “What’s the catch?”

“When the time is right, I have to go with him to get Neal.. or Baelfire… or, whatever...” She shook the thought away quickly. 

“And when will the time be right?”

Emma sighed and shrugged. “Once he figures out how to cross the town line.”

There was a pause and then she moved to turn away. Regina reached out and touched Emma’s bare shoulder gently. 

Turning back, the blonde looked at her quizzically and Regina noticed that she hadn’t removed her hand. Even after noticing it, she left it there, the feeling of Emma’s skin on her fingertips sending shivers down her spine in a way that she never wanted to end. 

“Emma… what did you mean a minute ago when you said you ‘cared’ for me?”

Emma glanced at Regina’s fingertips and then looked into her eyes. Regina’s heart hurt. 

“It means that, no matter what happens, I’m not going anywhere.”

There was a swooping sound and suddenly they were falling – falling so fast and far that it couldn't be real. Crimson smoke clouded her vision and Regina saw images of everything that she wanted; her heart ached for Emma. Maybe Regina didn’t want to land, if she could just be falling with Emma forever. Faster and farther. Falling forever with Emma. Forever falling for the woman she loved. 

  
I  
I  
V

The landing was soft for Regina – at least until a leather-clad blonde fell on top of her. Groaning, she tried to push herself up from the ground, but ended up slumping back again. She felt the fine, white sand of the Storybrooke beach slide between her fingers and she couldn’t help but laugh. 

Slowly regaining consciousness, Emma pushed herself up onto her arms and groaned.

“Looks like Rumple took us for a bit of a ride,” she laughed. She looked down at Regina (who was still glowing from the hilarity of it all) and grinned. Regina started to nod, but then she noticed the intense look on Emma’s face and all of her movements ceased. The waves rolled in and out behind her, but Regina heard nothing. All she could think about was Emma. So close. Looking down at her as though she was planning on staying there forever. Their eyes locked and the smile faded from Emma’s eyes. For a moment it seemed as though she was angry; as though she was about to lash out…

And then she leaned in and planted a kiss on Regina’s lips. 

It was just a peck and it all happened so fast that Regina wasn’t sure it had happened at all – but she could still feel the soft tingling on her lips, and taste the cocoa lip balm that Emma had left behind on them. Regina sucked in an unsteady breath and then launched herself towards Emma, pinning her to the ground and pressing her stomach against Emma’s midriff. As their lips parted on the other’s, electricity sparkled up Regina’s spine, and when she looked down, she realised that her body was _actually_ glowing. Ignoring it, she continued to kiss Emma, until they were forced to part in order to catch their breath. 

“Moms!” a voice from behind them shouted excitedly. Emma and Regina looked at each other in horror and quickly jumped up from the ground, growing the distance between them considerably. Regina looked at her shoes and Emma scratched her head awkwardly. 

“Henry,” Emma inhaled. “So, we… We…” she gulped. 

“... we escaped!” Regina finished. She cast Henry a wide smile, and then glared at Emma. 

Henry looked confused. “I knew you would!” he grinned, before his face changed back to the earlier confused look. “But, erm… Mom? Were you just kissing my Mom?”

Neither knew quite who the question was posed to, but Emma and Regina both looked at each other guiltily. How the Hell would they explain this to Henry? “I knew it!” Henry whooped. “This is _perfect_!”

“Woah, Henry, don’t get ahead of yourself,” Emma gulped. “This was… just a one-time thing.” 

Regina looked at her blankly and then nodded at Henry. 

“Right. Only… one-time…” she coughed, awkwardly. Her heart was sinking again, but she refused to let on. Henry slumped. “Well, Miss Swan. You better head home and catch up on some sleep. You’ve got quite a large job on the horizon.” The bitterness was evident in her voice, but Regina didn’t care – she’d got her revenge through carefully chosen words… she knew her son and if what she had said didn’t raise awkward questions with him, she would be very surprised. Regina only prayed that Emma couldn’t see how much she was hurting. She wouldn’t – couldn’t – give her the satisfaction. 

After hugging Henry, Regina gritted her teeth and walked away. If she had turned back she would have seen the glistening in Emma’s eyes; the way her hand quivered slightly as her pupils traced Regina’s silhouette against the sea. Emma exhaled slowly and tried to steady her breathing, but it wasn’t until she reached up and touched her lips that she got any relief, the memory of her lips against Regina's powerful enough to calm her. 

… But Regina didn’t see those things. And when she lay in bed that night, all she remembered were Emma’s words:

“This was just a one-time thing…”


	7. Operation: Moms

**_Six Weeks Later…_ **

The oven chips were burning. Yes – chips. Regina had made herself chips.

A loud siren blared in Regina’s ears as she flew down the stairs and into the kitchen, whacking the smoke alarm with a broom handle.

“This is what happens when I try and drown my sorrows,” Regina whined, throwing on her black and white checkered oven mitts and pulling the charred chips out of the oven. An upper chip (that was now all but charcoal) let out a small fizzing sound and then disintegrated. 

Shoving the contents of the tray in the bin, Regina put her head in her hands and let out a desperate groan. It had been six weeks since her kiss with Emma and, since, she had been lucky enough to only see her once (an occasion in which Emma had brought Henry to the house and Regina had ducked behind a wall and avoided all contact, promptly closing the door on Emma’s face before she could say anything). It was probably for the best that they hadn’t seen one another, Regina decided.

A week after Gold had freed them from the Mirror World, Emma had taken up her side of the deal and had brought the scaled imp to New York to find Baelfire. A week later they had returned, victorious, and the town hadn’t stopped talking about it since. Recently, Regina had taken to not going out at all – it was easier than constantly hearing about ‘How cool Henry’s new Dad is,’ and ‘How he’s planning on getting Emma back once and for all”... Hearing those things broke Regina’s heart all over again. But it wasn’t as though she had expected any less.

The only times Regina found that she could bare the stories were when they came from Henry. She was genuinely happy that Henry had another person in his life who cared for him… But even then, recently Henry had quietened down a little. Regina wondered if it was because of how distant she seemed, despite her best to smile and seem OK. She forgot sometimes how old her son had become – the way his insight into the world was growing along with every year of his age. Nonetheless, Regina lived for the moments she got to spend with Henry and mourned him when he wasn’t there.

Glancing at a hand-drawn crayon picture on the fridge, Regina was reminded of something particularly odd that Henry had said a long time ago: “I wish my other Mommy was here, too… that way you wouldn’t have to alone.”

Henry had drawn the picture long before he knew anything about Emma – the picture was of Henry, Regina and another woman holding hands. At the time Regina had assumed it was because Henry had a new girlfriend at school, but now she smiled, realising that that wasn’t the case at all – the picture was of her and Emma. Clearly 6-year-old Henry had seen the potential for love before Emma and Regina had even met. 

A knock at the door woke Regina from her daze. She frowned, wondering whether it was Henry, or maybe someone needing help (although, people rarely came to Regina for aid as they were so scared of her). 

“Regina, open up,” Emma said from behind the door. She knocked again, more forcefully this time and Regina froze. “I know you’re in there, I can smell burning. Did you throw a fireball at the computer again? I told you I would just fix it…”

Regina crept towards the door, biting her lip.

“Regina, I can see your silhouette, so I know you’re in there. Can you just… We need to talk.”

Releasing a sigh, Regina closed her eyes and lay her head against the wall. There was a small _bump_ as her scalp made contact with the wallpaper. 

“Emma, what do you want?” she said sadly, all of the usual sharpness gone from her voice. 

“We never got to talk. About… what happened.” Emma paused for a second and Regina hung her head. “I feel like I said something to offend you.”

And suddenly the flare was back. Regina opened the door in one swift, angry movement.

“Something to _offend_ me? What would make you think that, Miss Swan?”

“Well, maybe because you shut the door on my face when I came to drop off Henry... and you’ve been practically hiding out like a hermit for the last six weeks.”

“I didn’t hide out the week you were in New York,” Regina replied flatly.

“So you _are_ angry at me.” Emma scratched her eyelid. “Can you tell me what I did?”

Looking past her, Regina shrugged. “I’m over it,” she clarified. “But if I was angry, it was because you gave me false hope… And that’s just about the cruelest thing a person can do.”

“How? I don’t get that. _I_ kissed _you_ and afterwards you walked away. I thought you weren’t interested! And I didn’t want to check because I felt too…” she gritted her teeth, “vulnerable.” It was clear that Emma hated that word. 

“ _You_ felt vulnerable?!” Regina yelled, finally exploding with all the angst she had kept up-pent for the last six weeks. She really had to stop herself from throwing a fireball in Emma’s direction. “I finally thought I had found something _good_ in my life – something totally _pure_ . But _oh no_ . You go and tell me it’s just a _one-time thing_!”

“ _WHAT_?!” Emma flailed her arms around. “I told _Henry_ it was just a one-time thing! I didn’t want to _push_ you in front of our son!” She let out a growl. “I thought it was pretty obvious that it _wasn’t_ just a one-time thing… Or, at least, that _I_ didn’t want it to be…”

The two women caught their breath, and then Regina frowned. 

“Wait, so… you thought the kiss didn’t mean anything to me?”

“Yeah,” Emma agreed. 

“...and I thought it didn’t mean anything to you?”

“Mmhmm,” Emma nodded slowly, wondering where she was going with this. A light flickered behind Regina’s eyes and she smiled a wide, wicked grin. “Well then, Miss Swan… I guess we’re on the same page.”

Emma cocked her head to the side and then gave her a thoughtful frown. She took a step towards Regina and the gold in her eyes glistened. “I guess we are.”

There was a pause where Regina considered the implications that her next move might have on Henry; the way it could change everything about his family dynamic. And then she remembered the picture on the fridge and grinned. With a flick of her wrist, Emma flew into her arms and the door slammed behind them. Pressing her up against the wall, Regina kissed Emma with all of the built-up passion from the last six weeks. She kissed her lips, and then her neck and was just about to plant a kiss on her forehead when she drew away rapidly and bore into Emma’s eyes.

“Wait. What about Neal?” 

“What _about_ Neal?” Emma laughed. “Regina. I swear, I literally couldn’t have been any clearer – you’re the _only_ person that matters…” Grabbing her waist, Emma spun the other woman around, pinning her against the wall. She lent in, and then paused inches from Regina’s lips, eyes twinkling. “Well, apart from Henry, and my parents…” She kissed her on the lips and then drew away with a grin, “and, I _am_ the Saviour, so, kind of the whole town…”

Regina closed her eyes and looked up at the ceiling, revealing the elegant curve that was her jawline.

“–I appreciate the sentiment, Miss Swan…” Regina started; Emma lent in and planted a kiss on her cheek, “maybe, just,” Regina was interrupted by another kiss, this time on her neck, “...work on your delivery.” Emma laughed into her shoulder, and then Regina forgot about everything and got lost in Emma’s arms. The world spun around her and somehow she knew everything was going to be OK. It had taken much too long for Emma and Regina to understand their feelings for one another, but somehow it was worth it, because Regina knew in her heart that it wasn’t even about the destination; it would become about the _journey_. The one that they would take together – the one they had only just started. 

Regina grinned and laced her fingers between Emma’s. What a journey it was going to be…

* * *

Henry glanced through Regina’s magic mirror and pulled a face – kissing was gross, but it meant he had succeeded in his mission. High-fiving Snow and Charming, he grabbed his Storybook and watched the new pages appear. Snow cast David a look that Henry didn’t really understand, but he figured it was something he would fathom out in time. For now, he was just happy that “Operation: Moms” had succeeded. 

Finally, Henry had the family he had always wanted and, despite everything, his two moms were in love. Henry smiled at the Storybook – he had always known they were meant for each other... 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading this story!! I love you all xoxo
> 
> I'm currently working on a Part Two... subscribe to the series (Smoke & Mirrors) for updates! :)


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